Blast Chamber

The door leading to the blast chamber and rubber room from underneath pad A. The yellow sign warns that access is restricted, and the orange sign declares the rooms artifacts. Credit: Amy Shira Teitel

This article is the first in a series about my trip to Florida November 1-4, 2012. Be warned, there will be no small amount of space nerd geekery throughout these articles.

There are no shortage of things to see at the Kennedy Spaceflight Centre, particularly for space lovers – the place really is Disney World for space nerds. One of the most interesting sites for Apollo enthusiasts is the one thing on site that no one can see: the blast chamber and infamous rubber room underneath launch pad A. Not only is it underground and out of site, but it’s protected as an historical site and off limits to the public. But if you know the right people, which I happily do, you can make your way inside this fascinating piece of history.